‘Major supplier’ of boats for Channel migrant crossings arrested in Amsterdam

The Prime Minister hailed the arrest of a suspected Turkish people smuggler as a “significant piece of the jigsaw” in stopping migrants crossing the Channel, as ITV News’ Chloe Keedy reports

A man suspected of being a “major supplier” of boats for people smugglers operating the English Channel migrant crossings has been arrested, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA).

The 44-year-old Turkish man, who has not been named, was detained at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam on Wednesday after a joint investigation by Dutch and Belgian authorities and the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).

The man is suspected of shipping dinghies and engines from Turkey and storing them in Germany, before they are moved to northern France for crossings. He now faces extradition to Belgium over charges of human smuggling.

Speaking after the arrest in the Netherlands, NCA Director General in Operations Rob Jones, said the individual was suspected to be “a major supplier” of boats and engines to the smugglers operating in Belgium and northern France.

“The types of vessels and engines we see used in making these crossings are highly dangerous and completely unfit for open water,” he added.

“At least 50 people are known to have died this year as a result. There is no legitimate use for them.”

The operation comes as the NCA is leading around 70 live investigations into organised immigration crime or human trafficking, according to the agency.

Madeleine Sumption, Director of the Migration Observatory, said that the arrest of one person “might not necessarily make a big impact” in terms of the wider picture of people smuggling across the Channel

The man’s arrest was carried out through a Europol Operational Task Force and partners.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the arrest as “good news” and thanked the NCA, as well as their Dutch and Belgian counterparts, for their hard work.

“Criminal gangs have been getting away with this for far too long… It’s exactly what we want to see and it shows that our approach of working with international partners to smash the people smuggling gangs is bearing fruit,” he said.

Starmer said he planned to push forward with the UK’s efforts to clinch a security pact with the EU, including restoring access to real-time intelligence-sharing networks.

The comments come as the Labour government announced a campaign on small boat crossings earlier this year, which includes £75 million in additional funding for his new Border Security Command.

This year, more than 32,000 people have arrived in the UK having made the journey across the English Channel by boat, according to Home Office figures.